André Busato

Molecular and immunodiagnostic investigations on bovine neosporosis in Switzerland

Abstract Neospora caninum has gained considerable attention through its role in the aetiology of bovine abortion. Due to its close phylogenetic relationship with Toxoplasma gondii, respective unequivocal differential diagnosis deserves special consideration. In order to evaluate the diagnostic performance of molecular and immunodiagnostic techniques and to provide insights into the epidemiological significance of bovine neosporosis in Switzerland, we conducted a study on 83 cases of bovine abortion: of these, 24 (29%) foetal brains were positive by Neospora-PCR, six of these foetuses were simultaneously seropositive in Neospora-IFAT and/or somatic antigen-ELISA. Conversely, four (5%) foetal brains were considered positive by Toxoplasma-PCR, two of which were also seropositive in the Toxoplasma-P30-ELISA and/or direct agglutination test. The seroprevalence in 1689 cattle sera obtained from 113 dairy farms was 11.5% (95% confidence interval: 9.2–13.8) by Neospora-somatic antigen-ELISA and 10.7% (95% confidence interval: 8.3–12.6) by Toxoplasma-P30-ELISA. From the same samples, 1.1%, less than statistically expected, were positive in both ELISA. Within selected groups of cow-calf farms, the seroprevalence determined using the Neospora-somatic antigen-ELISA was 14% (95% confidence interval: 5.0–23.0) for dams and 15% (95% confidence interval: 3.0–28.0) for offspring calves. Seroprevalences determined by Toxoplasma-P30-ELISA were 8% (95% confidence interval: 4.0–12.0) for dams and 3% (95% confidence interval: 0.3–6.0) for calves. None of the sera gave a positive reaction in both ELISA. Our data indicated that prenatal neosporosis appears as an important cause of bovine abortion in Switzerland.

Influence of Preoperative Functional Status on Outcome After Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND International registries with large, heterogeneous patient populations provide excellent research opportunities for studying factors that influence treatment outcomes after total hip arthroplasty. In the present study, we used a European multinational database to investigate whether there is an association between three functional variables (preoperative pain, mobility, and motion) and functional outcome. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study on preoperative and follow-up clinical data that were prospectively entered into the International Documentation and Evaluation System European hip registry between 1967 and 2002. The inclusion criteria for this study were an age of more than twenty years, an underlying diagnosis of osteoarthritis, and a Charnley class-A functional designation at the time of surgery. A total of 12,925 patients (13,766 total hip arthroplasties) who met these criteria were entered into the analysis. Three functional variables (pain, mobility, and motion) that were assessed preoperatively were evaluated postoperatively at various follow-up examinations for a maximum of ten years. RESULTS Six thousand four hundred and one patients could walk longer than ten minutes preoperatively; of these, 57.1% had a walking capacity of more than sixty minutes at the time of the most recent follow-up. In comparison, 6896 patients had a preoperative walking capacity of less than ten minutes and only 38.9% of these patients could walk more than sixty minutes at the time of the most recent follow-up. The difference was significant (p < 0.01). Similarly, 10,375 patients had a preoperative hip flexion range of >70 degrees ; of these, 74.7% had a flexion range of >90 degrees at the time of the most recent follow-up. In comparison, 2793 patients had a preoperative hip flexion range of <70 degrees and only 62.6% of these patients had a flexion range of >90 degrees at the time of the most recent follow-up. The difference was also significant (p < 0.01). Lasting, complete, or almost complete pain relief was achieved by >80% of the patients following total hip arthroplasty regardless of their preoperative categorization of pain. CONCLUSIONS Patients with poor preoperative walking capacity and hip flexion are less likely to achieve an optimal outcome with regard to walking and motion. In contrast, there is no correlation between the preoperative pain level and pain alleviation, which is generally good and long-lasting after total hip arthroplasty.

Integrated care programmes for adults with chronic conditions: a meta-review

Objective To review systematic reviews and meta-analyses of integrated care programmes in chronically ill patients, with a focus on methodological quality, elements of integration assessed and effects reported. Design Meta-review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses identified in Medline (1946–March 2012), Embase (1980–March 2012), CINHAL (1981–March 2012) and the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews (issue 1, 2012). Main Outcome Measures Methodological quality assessed by the 11-item Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) checklist; elements of integration assessed using a published list of 10 key principles of integration; effects on patient-centred outcomes, process quality, use of healthcare and costs. Results Twenty-seven systematic reviews were identified; conditions included chronic heart failure (CHF; 12 reviews), diabetes mellitus (DM; seven reviews), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; seven reviews) and asthma (five reviews). The median number of AMSTAR checklist items met was five: few reviewers searched for unpublished literature or described the primary studies and interventions in detail. Most reviews covered comprehensive services across the care continuum or standardization of care through inter-professional teams, but organizational culture, governance structure or financial management were rarely assessed. A majority of reviews found beneficial effects of integration, including reduced hospital admissions and re-admissions (in CHF and DM), improved adherence to treatment guidelines (DM, COPD and asthma) or quality of life (DM). Few reviews showed reductions in costs. Conclusions Systematic reviews of integrated care programmes were of mixed quality, assessed only some components of integration of care, and showed consistent benefits for some outcomes but not others.

Demographic factors affecting long-term outcome of total hip arthroplasty.

We report the outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in a cohort of patients with complete long-term radiographic and clinical followup information from our database of more than 48,000 primary hip replacements. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of various demographic factors and patient comorbidity (Charnley classification) on the long-term outcome of THA. The cohort was comprised of 25,990 total hip replacements (THRs) in 10,243 (46.6%) men and 11,754 (53.4%) women with a median age of 66 years (range, 20–96 years) at the time of arthroplasty. Our study confirmed that THA has an impressive efficiency and reliability in alleviating pain and improving function for almost all of the patients. Furthermore, the results are enduring with more than 90% of patients being satisfied with the outcome at 15 years. Clinical outcome measures reach their maximum at 2 to 5 years after arthroplasty and thereafter they decline gradually. Furthermore, patient age, gender, body mass index, and main diagnosis all have an influence on specific functional parameters. The Charnley classification has the most profound effect on the overall functional status of patients.

Patient-related risk factors leading to aseptic stem loosening in total hip arthroplasty: A case-control study of 5,035 patients

Background We hypothesized that certain patient characteristics have different effects on the risk of early stem loosening in total hip arthroplasty (THA). We therefore conducted a case-control study using register-database records with the aim of identifying patient-specific risk factors associated with radiographic signs of aseptic loosening of the femoral component in THA. Method Data were derived from a multinational European registry and were collected over a period of 25 years. 725 cases with radiographic signs of stem loosening were identified and matched to 4,310 controls without any signs of loosening. Matching criteria were type of implant, size of head, date of operation, center of primary intervention, and follow-up time. The risk factors analyzed were age at operation, sex, diagnosis and previous ipsilateral operations, height, weight, body mass index and mobility based on the Charnley classification. Results Women showed significantly lower risk of radiographic loosening than men (odds ratio (OR) 0.64). Age was also a strong factor: risk decreased by 1.8% for each additional year of age at the time of surgery. Height and weight were not associated with risk of loosening. A higher body mass index, however, increased the risk of stem loosening to a significant extent (OR 1.03) per additional unit of BMI. Charnley Class B, indicating restricted mobility, was associated with lower risk of loosening (OR 0.78). Interpretation An increased activity level, as seen in younger patients and those with unrestricted mobility, is an important factor in the etiology of stem loosening. If combined with high BMI, the risk of stem loosening within 10 years is even higher. A younger person should not be denied the benefits of a total hip arthroplasty but must accept that the risk of future failure is increased.

Risk factors for early dislocation after total hip arthroplasty: a matched case-control study

Purpose. To evaluate risk factors for early dislocation after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods. Records of 175 cases with dislocation during hospitalisation after THA and 651 controls without dislocation were reviewed. Cases and controls were matched for age, gender, body mass index classification, primary diagnosis, cup design, hospital, and year of intervention. Version and inclination of the acetabular component and version of the femoral component were assessed intra- and post-operatively. Various risk factors were analysed, including surgical approach, cup positioning, combined cup and stem positioning, and femoral head size. Results. The posterior approach was 6 fold more prone to dislocation (odds ratio [OR]=6.3, p<0.018) than the anterolateral or straight lateral approach. With regard to combined cup and stem positioning, the acceptable position was at significantly higher risk of dislocation than the ideal position (OR=2.59, p=0.033). Larger femoral head sizes were associated with significantly lower risk of dislocation (OR=0.84, p=0.02). Conclusion. Surgical approach, combined cup and stem positioning, and femoral head size were significant risk factors for dislocation during hospitalisation.

Obesity, age, sex, diagnosis, and fixation mode differently affect early cup failure in total hip arthroplasty: a matched case-control study of 4420 patients.

BACKGROUND Studies about the influence of patient characteristics on mechanical failure of cups in total hip replacement have applied different methodologies and revealed inconclusive results. The fixation mode has rarely been investigated. Therefore, we conducted a detailed analysis of the influence of patient characteristics and fixation mode on cup failure risks. METHODS We conducted a case-control study of total hip arthroplasties in 4420 patients to test our hypothesis that patient characteristics of sex, age, weight, body mass index, and diagnosis have different influences on risks for early mechanical failure in cemented and uncemented cups. RESULTS Women had significantly reduced odds for failure of cups with cemented fixation (odds ratio = 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.43 to 0.83; p = 0.002) and uncemented fixation (odds ratio = 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.5 to 0.81; p = 0.0003) compared with that for men (odds ratio = 1). Each additional year of patient age at the time of surgery reduced the failure odds by a factor of 0.98 for both cemented cups (odds ratio = 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.96 to 0.99; p = 0.016) and uncemented cups (odds ratio = 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.97 to 0.99; p = 0.0002). In patients with cemented cups, the weight group of 73 to 82 kg had significantly lower failure odds (odds ratio = 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.4 to 0.98) than the lightest (<64 kg) weight group or the heaviest (>82 kg) weight group (odds ratios = 1.00 and 1.07, respectively). No significant effects of weight were noted in the uncemented group. In contrast, obese patients (a body mass index of >30 kg/m(2)) with uncemented cups had significantly elevated odds relative to patients with a body mass of <25 kg/m(2) (odds ratio = 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.91) for early failure of the cups compared with an insignificant effect in the cemented arm of the study. Compared with osteoarthritis as the reference diagnosis (odds ratio = 1), developmental dysplasia (odds ratio = 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.28 to 0.97) and hip fracture (odds ratio = 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.16 to 0.92) were significantly protective in cemented cups. CONCLUSIONS Female sex and older age have similarly protective effects on the odds for early failure of cemented and uncemented cups. Although a certain body-weight range has a significant protective effect in cemented cups, the more important finding was the significantly increased risk for failure of uncemented cups in obese patients. Patients with developmental dysplasia and hip fracture were the only diagnostic groups with a significantly decreased risk for cup failure, but only with cemented fixation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Primary care physician supply and other key determinants of health care utilisation: the case of Switzerland

BackgroundThe Swiss government decided to freeze new accreditations for physicians in private practice in Switzerland based on the assumption that demand-induced health care spending may be cut by limiting care offers. This legislation initiated an ongoing controversial public debate in Switzerland. The aim of this study is therefore the determination of socio-demographic and health system-related factors of per capita consultation rates with primary care physicians in the multicultural population of Switzerland.MethodsThe data were derived from the complete claims data of Swiss health insurers for 2004 and included 21.4 million consultations provided by 6564 Swiss primary care physicians on a fee-for-service basis. Socio-demographic data were obtained from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Utilisation-based health service areas were created and were used as observational units for statistical procedures. Multivariate and hierarchical models were applied to analyze the data.ResultsModels within the study allowed the definition of 1018 primary care service areas with a median population of 3754 and an average per capita consultation rate of 2.95 per year. Statistical models yielded significant effects for various geographical, socio-demographic and cultural factors. The regional density of physicians in independent practice was also significantly associated with annual consultation rates and indicated an associated increase 0.10 for each additional primary care physician in a population of 10,000 inhabitants. Considerable differences across Swiss language regions were observed with reference to the supply of ambulatory health resources provided either by primary care physicians, specialists, or hospital-based ambulatory care.ConclusionThe study documents a large small-area variation in utilisation and provision of health care resources in Switzerland. Effects of physician density appeared to be strongly related to Swiss language regions and may be rooted in the different cultural backgrounds of the served populations.

Hospital service areas – a new tool for health care planning in Switzerland

BackgroundThe description of patient travel patterns and variations in health care utilization may guide a sound health care planning process. In order to accurately describe these differences across regions with homogeneous populations, small area analysis (SAA) has proved as a valuable tool to create appropriate area models. This paper presents the methodology to create and characterize population-based hospital service areas (HSAs) for Switzerland.MethodsWe employed federal hospital discharge data to perform a patient origin study using small area analysis. Each of 605 residential regions was assigned to one of 215 hospital provider regions where the most frequent number of discharges took place. HSAs were characterized geographically, demographically, and through health utilization indices and rates that describe hospital use. We introduced novel planning variables extracted from the patient origin study and investigated relationships among health utilization indices and rates to understand patient travel patterns for hospital use. Results were visualized as maps in a geographic information system (GIS).ResultsWe obtained 100 HSAs using a patient origin matrix containing over four million discharges. HSAs had diverse demographic and geographic characteristics. Urban HSAs had above average population sizes, while mountainous HSAs were scarcely populated but larger in size. We found higher localization of care in urban HSAs and in mountainous HSAs. Half of the Swiss population lives in service areas where 65% of hospital care is provided by local hospitals.ConclusionHealth utilization indices and rates demonstrated patient travel patterns that merit more detailed analyses in light of political, infrastructural and developmental determinants. HSAs and health utilization indices provide valuable information for health care planning. They will be used to study variation phenomena in Swiss health care.

Patient satisfaction with primary care: an observational study comparing anthroposophic and conventional care

BackgroundThis study is part of a cross-sectional evaluation of complementary medicine providers in primary care in Switzerland. It compares patient satisfaction with anthroposophic medicine (AM) and conventional medicine (CON).MethodsWe collected baseline data on structural characteristics of the physicians and their practices and health status and demographics of the patients. Four weeks later patients assessed their satisfaction with the received treatment (five items, four point rating scale) and evaluated the praxis care (validated 23-item questionnaire, five point rating scale). 1946 adult patients of 71 CON and 32 AM primary care physicians participated.Results1. Baseline characteristics: AM patients were more likely female (75.6% vs. 59.0%, p < 0.001) and had higher education (38.6% vs. 24.7%, p < 0.001). They suffered more often from chronic illnesses (52.8% vs. 46.2%, p = 0.015) and cancer (7.4% vs. 1.1%). AM consultations lasted on average 23,3 minutes (CON: 16,8 minutes, p < 0.001).2. Satisfaction: More AM patients expressed a general treatment satisfaction (56.1% vs. 43.4%, p < 0.001) and saw their expectations completely fulfilled at follow-up (38.7% vs. 32.6%, p < 0.001). AM patients reported significantly fewer adverse side effects (9.3% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.003), and more other positive effects from treatment (31.7% vs. 17.1%, p < 0.001).Europep: AM patients appreciated that their physicians listened to them (80.0% vs. 67.1%, p < 0.001), spent more time (76.5% vs. 61.7%, p < 0.001), had more interest in their personal situation (74.6% vs. 60.3%, p < 0.001), involved them more in decisions about their medical care (67.8% vs. 58.4%, p = 0.022), and made it easy to tell the physician about their problems (71.6% vs. 62.9%, p = 0.023). AM patients gave significantly better rating as to information and support (in 3 of 4 items p [less than or equal to] 0.044) and for thoroughness (70.4% vs. 56.5%, p < 0.001).ConclusionAM patients were significantly more satisfied and rated their physicians as valuable partners in the treatment. This suggests that subject to certain limitations, AM therapy may be beneficial in primary care. To confirm this, more detailed qualitative studies would be necessary.